Some at General Conference seek different digs

TAMPA, Fla.—They’re sleeping in bunk beds, in a house without air-conditioning, in a hardscrabble part of the city.

Luke Wetzel and Brandon Lazarus wouldn’t have it any other way.

Three General Conference attendees who opted not to stay in hotels near the Tampa Convention Center, left to right: Brandon Lazarus, the Rev. Lorenza Andrade Smith and Luke Wetzel. UMR PHOTO BY SAM HODGES

Both are UM seminarians with a role at General Conference, and both chose not to stay at one of the posh downtown hotels near the Tampa Convention Center—as the vast majority of United Methodists here are doing.

Instead, they’re at The Lake House, a nondenominational, evangelical “new monastic” community, keeping house and sharing meals with seven other young men.

“They’re incredibly hospitable,” said Mr. Wetzel. “They’ve said ‘eat our food,’ and they’ve fixed us food. There’s a guy that’s been driving Brandon and me to the Convention Center.”

Mr. Wetzel is a third-year student at Duke Divinity School and a General Conference delegate from the Kansas East Conference.

He was a delegate four years ago in Fort Worth, and stayed in a hotel. Since then, he’s become a student of intentional Christian communities, including those that are part of the Dorothy Day-founded Catholic Worker movement.

Mr. Wetzel and his wife plan to spend next year at a Christian community in Atlanta, and after that he’ll seek appointment as an ordained elder.

For this General Conference, Mr. Wetzel decided he would bypass the hotel scene and stay downscale, with Christians living together. He called some Florida contacts and found The Lake House, where residents invited him to stay free.

Mr. Wetzel said he’s not passing judgment on anyone else, but does feel that a General Conference where nearly everyone is staying in fancy hotels and eating at nice restaurants is not without consequences.

“I’m certain that setting affects us somehow as we deliberate about the things of God,” he said. “I have some other misgivings. The convention and tourism industry drives the poor out of downtown areas.”

Mr. Lazarus is a second year student at Perkins School of Theology, and a page at General Conference. He lives at Bonhoeffer House in Dallas, part of a group of new monastic residences encouraged by Professor Elaine Heath at Perkins.

He used the Internet to find The Lake House.

“Like the Bonhoeffer House, their main outreach is to the homeless and impoverished in their community, so I wanted to see how they do it,” Mr. Lazarus said.

Mr. Lazarus and Mr. Wetzel didn’t know each other before—“We have about 25 Facebook friends in common,” Mr. Wetzel said—but now are in bunks that are, as they laughingly acknowledge, inches away.

The first night, Mr. Lazarus was actually on the couch, as an attack of bedbugs had The Lake residents scrambling to bring in new mattresses.

But he’s used to improvisation in living arrangements.

“They choose to live very ascetically, so they don’t have air conditioning,” Mr. Lazarus said of The Lake House residents. “But they open up the doors and there’s been a nice breeze. So it’s been very comfortable.”

Mr. Lazarus, too, has concerns about the United Methodist occupation of the downtown hotels, and notes that $1.7 million has been budgeted for delegates’ food and housing.

“That money could be used in other ways,” he said.

But while there’s no mint on the pillow, and the covers aren’t turned down just so, Mr. Lazarus feels he’s having a richer, or at least less isolated, experience than many other United Methodists here.

“When I have prayers for Tampa now, it’s prayers for the people we’ve been able to meet through the ministry of The Lake House,” he said.

Both seminarians said they’ve appreciated eating and praying with their temporary housemates, and they’ve also been glad to answer their hosts’ questions about John Wesley, founder of Methodism.

Mr. Lazarus is not reimbursed for his volunteer service at General Conference. Mr. Wetzel, as a delegate, gets a $125-a-day allowance.

He said he plans to spend it in “an economy of grace,” and already has taken The Lake House crew to dinner. He is looking forward to doing the same for some visiting Duke Seminary students, and he will make a donation to The Lake House before he leaves.

Mr. Wetzel and Mr. Lazarus aren’t the only ones seeking alternative accommodations at General Conference.

The Rev. Lorenza Andrade Smith is a UM clergywoman from San Antonio who lives on the streets in solidarity with and in mission to the homeless. She’s here as an advocate on immigration and other issues. She arrived by bus, and has been spending the nights outside.

On Sunday night, she’d found a congenial spot near the Convention Center, on which to sleep on her bedroll. But a security guard told her she would have to leave.

“Just asked to leave my bay-view sleeping spot outside the convention center,” she posted on Facebook. “They said they’re getting ready for some church conference.”

shodges@umr.org

Share this:

Like this:

Join the conversation....

While I support the right to choose where one stays for General Conference, I must state that my accomodations at a downtown hotel are anything but "posh." There is no turn down service or mint on my pillow and while the place is relatively clean it is a bit dog-eared. It's also a ten minute walk to the convention center which means I don't have to rent a car, use public transportation or get a ride. And what about the hundreds of people who work in these hotels and restaurants who have also offered us hospitality? If tourism were not here, would these folks have jobs? Has anyone talked with the people who work at the downtown hotels, restaruants or the convention center? They are probably glad we're here and would argue that the 1.7 million dollars spent by the UMC is money well spent because it is providing them gainful employment.

I'm glad to hear that you chose not to stay at a posh hotel. I would not equate the hospitality of a hotel and restaurant to the hospitality of a person being willing to open their home. As for the $1.7 million that is spent on tourism, you are right, I am sure they appreciate it but of the $1.7 million that is spent on mostly corporate owned business, how much of that money is going to those who are "gainfully employed". Luke is able to use the funds he has received to support the ministries of Lake House and each dollar is able to go much further. I am not saying that everyone must choose a different alternative and everyone staying at Marriott or Embassy Suites is a bad person. I'm just encouraging us to use a little more imagination on how we spent our money whether it is church apportioned dollars (in Luke's case) or our own personal funds (in my case).

I applaud these 3 people, I had an opportunity this past weekend of Meeting Luke at the Lake House. I also spent the night on the couch as I was helping at the Underground Network of which the Lake House is a part. We were volunteering at the Jesus Encounter that is held bi-annually. Any way i had an opportunity to speak with Luke about the Homeless issue and how the Methodist church stood on the matter. He explained there are a number of resolutions stating the church's stance. I mentioned that What I don't seem to see from them is action. I wonder how many other conference attendees really understand what a night living on the streets is really about? Staying at a hotel or inn is great and yes there are working poor. They at least have a job many of the homeless in Tampa have been out of work for 4 years and no one is willing to even offer them jobs. Tampa has criminalized being homeless there are parks they are kicked out of for falling asleep during the day. The Homeless have been characterized as lazy, drunks and drug addicts. This summer the GOP Convention will be in town and the Homeless will be swept off the streets. Out of sight out of mind. Thank you for posting this article I hope EVERYONE takes pause and tries to put themselves in the shoe of homeless people. and be more compassionate. It could so easily be you put out tomorrow. I know it happened to me.

The United Methodist Reporter wants to encourage lively conversation about The United Methodist Church and our articles in the belief that Christian conversation (what Wesley would call conferencing) is a means of grace. While we support passionate debate, we cannot allow language that demeans or demonizes others, and we reserve the right to delete any comment we believe to be harmful or inappropriate. We encourage all to remember that we are all broken and in need of Christ's grace, and that we all see through the glass darkly until that time we when reach full perfection in love. May your speech here be tempered with love, and reflection of the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. After all, "There is no law against things like this." (Galatians 5:22-23)